1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing device, such as a handy translating device, which translates specific phrases into corresponding phrases in another language system or, such as a retrieving device, which retrieves specific phrases containing words.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Many books containing collections of conversation expressions in various situations of overseas travels, business, and the like have been published in Japan. Further, portable data processing devices as the electronic version of this type of books have also been used widely. Electronic pocketbooks are typically known for the data processing device. In the electronic pocketbooks, desired conversation examples are selected by operating keys, and displayed on a display window.
An example of the conventional data processing device is illustrated in FIG. 25. In the data processing device designated by reference numeral 11, a display window 12 using a liquid crystal display (LCD), for example, is located in the upper portion of the main body of the data processing device. Panels 13.sub.1 to 13.sub.N indicative of several scenes that will be experienced in the travel, and a select key 14 are located under the display window 12.
In operation, when an operator presses the first panel 13.sub.1 for basic English conversation phrases, for example, the first phrase of those basic phrases in Japanese is displayed in the display window 12. When he presses the select key 14 once, the display window 12 displays the English phrase corresponding to the Japanese phrase already displayed. Next, he presses the select key 14 once again. Then, the display window 12 displays the next Japanese phrase. Further, when he presses the select key 14, the corresponding English phrase is displayed. In this way, every time the operator presses the select key 14, the Japanese phrases and the English phrases are alternately displayed.
To select a desired phrase for conversation, the scene containing the desired phrase is selected by designating the corresponding panel of those panels 13.sub.1 to 13.sub.N. Accordingly, the operator more quickly reaches his intended phrase when comparing with the data processing device of the type in which various types of conversation phrases not classified, are stored in block. Some type of data processing device includes two types of select keys, a forward key and a backward key. In this type of data processing device, the phrase which has been displayed before can be displayed again.
Another type of data processing device includes two select keys, one for Japanese and the other for English. When the Japanese key is continuously pressed, the Japanese phrases appear in successive manner. Accordingly, the operator first finds a desired Japanese phrase by using the Japanese select key, and then finds the corresponding English phrase by the English key.
FIG. 26 shows another conventional data processing device.
The data processing device includes a narrow display window 22 constructed with the LCD, which is located in the upper portion of the main body. Alphabet keys and other keys are arrayed under the display window 22. Those keys are generally designated by reference numeral 23. The data processing device has the function to retrieve desired data. In operation, the operator enters a word by operating the related keys 23. Then, the data processing device sequentially checks many phrases stored in the device one by one to find an phrase containing the same word as the entered one. The phrase containing the entered word, when found, is displayed in the display window 22.
The data processing device of FIG. 25 searches a desired conversation phrase every scene. Accordingly, the operator reaches the desired phrase more quickly than in the data processing device of FIG. 26. When as the result of reduction of the memory cost, a memory of large memory capacity is used for the memory for storing the conversation phrases, the number of phrases stored every scene is increased. Accordingly, the select key 14 must be operated many times till a desired phrase is reached.
The scenes into which the conversation phrases are classified are selected in the stage of device design. The scenes selected by designers are inconvenient to some users.
In the case of the FIG. 26 device, the user can enter the spellings of words since many keys are used. Accordingly, the FIG. 26 device can retrieve the intended phrase using a keyword, which is a finer category than the categories, such as "Eating out" and "Sight-seeing" in the FIG. 25 device. However, the FIG. 26 device has the following disadvantages.
1) The array of the keys 23 occupies a large area on the main body, since the number of keys 23 is great. Accordingly, the area for the display window 22, viz., the display area of the retrieved phrase, is correspondingly reduced. To secure a sufficient display area, the device size and hence its cost are increased. Users poor in key operation skill frequently mistake the key operation, and take much time to search the desired phrase.
2) Complete coincidence of the entered keyword with the word in a desired phrase is essential to the retrieval of the phrase. Accordingly, to retrieve a phrase containing alcoholic drink, for example, many related words, such as "liquor", "sake", and "alcoholic drink", must be entered. Further, a phrase containing a word which does not literally denote, for example, "drank" in "They drank the night away", cannot be retrieved by using the keyword "drink". In retrieving a desired phrase containing an inflective word (e.g., drink.fwdarw.drank in the above case), the data processing device cannot predict an actual form of the word in the phrase.